Die hard love -- 2

There were three days left for Riya to leave the country that showed her the other side of life. In her fast paced life, unconsciously she had missed to live every moment of her life. Riya realized how her busy work schedule had kept her away from life!

Michael had shown her a way. She wanted to take him along.

The day before she had to leave, she sat their wondering how she would propose to him. She was also a bit worried about her family; would they accept a foreigner as their son-in-law?

Michael came to the airport to see her off.
Riya wasn’t sure if this was the moment when Michael walked up to her.
“Riya, you made my days brighter. Thank you!”
“Michael, it is you who showed me life beyond survival. Come to India soon to capture life!”
“Now that I have a splendid host, I will”, and he smiled.

Riya sat in the flight drowned in thoughts.
“Why didn’t I tell him, I love him? Does he love me?”
She knew Michael liked her and that was enough for her. Michael had told her once, it doesn’t really matter in life how others feel for you, all that matters is how you feel for them.
She murmured under her breath, “I love him, and I will let him know.”

Michael and Riya stay connected in the virtual world. After 2 months Michael was sponsored to make a documentary on the lives of Milk-men in Aarey colony, Andheri, Mumbai.

Riya was excited. She was living a renewed life. The trip to the US had changed so much for her, yet nothing.
Michael’s trip to India was very short and he was busy with his shoot. They met for dinner one night at Colaba.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was filled with stars; the moon was hiding behind the clouds. Riya and Michael strolled along the marine drive intensely engaged in a conversation. It was quite chill and the gentle breeze was teasing Riya.
“Isn’t it beautiful Michael?”
“The night?”
“God’s trick on people!”
“What?!”
“I love you! Would you be my man for a lifetime?”

Michael looked up. He held Riya’s hand looked into her eyes.
When Riya first met him, he took her breath away and now her heart. He was piercing through Riya!

“Riya, I love you, but..”
************************

Dawn was breaking-in; Riya sat in her couch looking out through the window.
Michael never spoke to her after that day. Riya couldn’t handle the sudden void in her life. He came like a storm; swept her off her feet and now she lay like the left over debris.

She was agonizing herself by entangling in a chain of thoughts.
“God! How could he keep away from me? Doesn’t he love me? When did I lose myself completely to him? How could I let him do this to me? How could his absence tear me into pieces?”
“He can’t avoid me! He can’t...”
“Am I nobody without him? He brought in a bout of freshness in my life, he led me into beautiful meadow and now he is gone!”
“I love him…and all I wished for is life together. Why did he deny me that?”
She was crying. Riya couldn’t hold her tears back.
“I love him for who he is, even if he is terminally ill.”

She wiped her tears off, washed her face and changed her wet shirt. She closed the facebook page that she had kept open, and searched for tickets to Kansas, USA. She made a few calls and was ready to leave.

The clock in her bedroom showed 10 past 5 in the morning. She called Maya, “Hello Maya! I am sorry to wake you up so early…”
“Riya..Riya, is everything ok?”
“Yes, I have taken off from work and I need to report only on Monday. I am going to Kansas, USA.”
“Not official? “
“No.”
“What is the emergency?”
“My life! I am going to live my life. I am in love. I will come back and give you details.”
“Riya, I knew it was a man. Good luck!”

Riya rang the door bell.
Michael stood stunned.
“I love you.”
“It doesn’t matter to me if you are diagnosed with cancer. I …”
“Riya, understand…I don’t want to take the moments out of your life.”
“You already are..!”
“Cancer is a killer, the treatment is grueling. I don’t even know if I will survive…”
“Michael, I want to be part of your pain and pleasure.”
“Riyaa..”
“Michael, don’t you trust me? Together we can make every moment count!”
Riya tried hard to hold back her tears, “I am fully aware of the consequences of my decision. You make your life count by making films that will essay life! I want to make my life count by building memories of us together!”
“I want to give you happy memories.”
“You will Michael, let us live every moment, like you always say…Before it is gone!”
Michael held her close; and whispered into her ears, “I love you, together let us leave our legacy behind!”
“I love you, Michael. “

In the face of death, one begins to live!